ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. staff — a stick
  3. tube — the underground
  4. staff — employees
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. file — a document
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stem — to come from
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a tool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. staff — employees
  21. board — to get on
  22. tube — a container
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. board — a committee

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com